A new car could prove the perfect way to beat rush hour traffic - because at the flick of a switch it turns into a plane. The AirCar has four seats, four doors and four wheels in "ground mode" but in a matter of seconds its giant wings fold out to reveal a pair of propeller engines.
Then, in "air mode", the diesel-powered plane will be able to cruise at speeds of 200mph - at 25,000 feet. To switch back from plane to car, the wings simply fold inwards, the rear wheels pivot forwards to give extra ground clearance and the front wheels pivot downward to keep the vehicle level.
In the air, the silver AirCar will be powered by two, 160 brake horsepower ducted fan engines and will have a range of up to 1,000 miles before needing to re-fuel.
Back on the ground, designers Milner Motors say the main 28ft-wide wing folds away across the rear of the vehicle, while the smaller canard wing folds into the front.
The car is about the same size as a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. It is powered by a separate 40 horsepower diesel engine, allowing it to hit a top speed of 85mph. Inside, the AirCar has two flat-panel computer displays showing the appropriate information for air mode and for ground mode. The driver will steer both the plane and the car using a traditional steering wheel.
Co-designer Chris Milner came up with the idea with his father James, who he says has always wanted to create a flying car. He said: "My father used to be a pilot and then went on to be flight instructor, so he has a long history of aviation. "He has long thought that a lot of the world's transportation problems could be solved by making more use of flight.
"There have been others in the past who have tried to bring a flying car to production but ours is different. "Firstly, we are using stronger and lighter materials. "Secondly, the onboard computer systems we are using are far more technologically advanced than 10 years ago. "And thirdly, improvements have been made in aircraft engine technology. "All the advances that have been made over the last decade have meant that building a flying car is now very much in the realm of what is possible.
"We hope the car will be hitting the market by 2010, and although we know we have a lot of hurdles to overcome by then, we are confident we can make it." Mr Milner, 42, said the pair were also developing a fully electric car alongside the AirCar in an effort to bring the costs down, adding: "It means we can mass-produce some of the parts that will be fitted on both vehicles."
The father-and-son team, from Vancouver, Canada, say they have already built a fully driveable prototype of the AirCar but are still working on a flying version. Mr Milner jnr added: "We are very pleased with the prototype and each day are more confident that we will be able to bring it to market substantially the same as it appears today."
They predict that an AirCar will cost around £250,000. It will be unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, which runs between March 21 and March 30.
